Cooking apparatus



Nov. 26, 1929. w. DE BACK COOKING APPARATUS Filed Npv. 24, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //V VE/V 7'02 WILL IA 0 BA (K BY 6, 4 444 HIS A 7' TOENE Y.

Nov. 26; 1929. v DE BACK COOKING APPARATUS Filed' NOV. 24; 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //V [/5 N 703 w/u 1.43 425 BACK HIS n'rna zlv'sn Z Uttt'lli'. STATES PATENT OFFlCE WZLLIAM'. DE BACK, OF SAN LEANDRO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORTO SPBAGUE-SELLS COR- PORATION, OF I-IOOPESTON, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE COOKING APPARATUS Application filed November 24, 1826. Serial No. 150,519.

My invention relates to apparatus for processing packaged goods and particularly to cookers adapted to handle filled cans of food material.

An object of the invention is the provision of a cooking apparatus comprising separate cookin drums with improved conveying means for enabling the drums to be most elliciently utilized either separately or in combination.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved transfer means for shunting the cans from the supply track to the various feed tracks.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a cooking apparatus in which the cans of food material may be cooked for any desired length of time.

Other objects of the invention will be set forth in the description of the preferred embodiment of my invention which is illustrated in the drawings forming part of the specification. It is understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said description and drawings, as I may adopt variations of my preferred embodiment within the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figures 1 and 1 together constitute a plan view of my cooking apparatus; Figures 2 and 2* constitute a side elevation of the same. Portions of both figures are omitted to reduce their length.

Figure 3 is a left end elevation of the cooking apparatus.

Figure l is a plan view of the elevator or transfer mechanism shown at the left end of Figure 1 on a smaller scale.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view thru the feed tracks and conveyor. The plane of section is indicated by the line 55 of Figure 1 In broadly descriptive terms, the apparatus of my invention comprises aplurality of drums in which suitable conveying mechanism is included to carry the packages therethru. The drums are preferably in axial alinement and separate means is j rovided for driving the can or in each :1. at selected speeds. Each of the drums is joined by a 0011- necting track to the one next in line so that if desired, cans may pass consecutively thru all the drums. A supply track is provided for conducting the cans to the apparatus and afeed track beginning near the end of the supply track conducts the cans to each of the connecting tracks. Means are provided for shunting cans from the supply track to the selected feed track, so that the cans may be passed thru all of the drums, or thru the second and successive drums, or thru the third and successive drums in accordance with the length of time which it is desired to cook the material in the cans. By making the drums in each apparatus of different lengths, or by varying the speed of the drum conveyors, or both, a proper selection of drums permit-s a considerable latitude in determin ing the length of time during which the cans are in the cooking chambers. These values are so selected as to give the practically desirable length of cook for different products to be handled, such as cherries, apricots, peaches, pears, etc, each of which requires a dilferent cooking period. Preferably the last drum in the series of drums is a cooler in which the hot cans are cooled off to stop the cooking process.

More particularly my device comprises a series of axially alined drums 2, 3, 4 and 5. Any number of drums may be utilized but three cooking drums and one cooling drum will be found satisfactory for a wide range of work. Each of the drums contains a spiral track 7, around which the cans 8 in the drum are moved on the conveyor reel 9. This mechanism is well known in the art and need not be explained in detail here. The shaft 11 on which the reel for the drum 2 is mounted terminates in a gear 12 on the outside of the drum and this gear is connected thru a suitable gear 13 with the driving gear 1 on the shaft of the motor 16 mounted on a suitable bracket 17 at one end of the drum. For drums 2 and 4 the reel driving means is dis posed at the discharge end of the drum, but for drums 3 and 5 the driving means is ar ranged at the receiving end of the drum. This is define because it is desired t. the reels the connecting track 21 with the receivingchute 22 oeli the second drum The seconddrum the opposite end and side 1s pro-- vided with the discharge chute 2d ]O1I1Gd by the connecting track 25 with the receiving chute 27 of the third drum 4. In a similar way the third drum i joined to the cooler drum 5 by the connectlng track 28.

Cans emerge from the cooling drum thru the discharge chute 29 upon a suitable table or conveyor, not shown. Each oi the cooking drums is provided with steam thru the valved pipe 31 connect-ed at one end to any suitable source and at the other to the manifold pipe 32 connected into the bottom of the drum thru a plurality of pipes 33'. A valved pipe 3% connected to a suitable water supply is also connected into the bottom of the drum so that the desired quantity of water may be ad lnittcd thereto. The drums may be emptied thru the valves 36.

Disposed on the top of the first two drums on. suitable legs. 38 is astructure formed. largely of angle irons and providing guideways Shand 41in which the two endless chains 42 may run. The chains pass over sprockets 43 arranged on a shaft dd disposed near the ischargeend of the second drum 3 and which is driven by the motor 46 thru the reduction gearing 4:71. Adjacent the receiving end of the first drum, the chains pass over sprockets 48 and 49 and around the sprockets 51 near the floor and jonrnaled on the shaft 52. mounted in the bracket arms 53. The guideways 39 are turned downwardly for a short distance over the )ulleys d8 and are continued in the guic eways 5d which extend downwardly, close to the sprockets 51. The under-reach oi" the chains between the sprockets i9 and 51 are also confined in guideways 56.. The two chains 42 are connected at suitable intervals by pieces of pipe 57 journaled on studs 58 projecting from the chains so that the pipe may turn freely.

Extending longitudinally between and somewhat below the guideways are angle pieces 61 and 62' supported on crcss pieces 68 extending between the legs 38. These angle pieces form feed trac IS, one of which, 64, is very short and discharges by means of the curved extension 66 into the receiving chute 18 of the first drum 2. Another trackway 6'? discharges thru the extension 68 into the connecting track 26 between the second and third drums 3 and 4 respectively. A third 'l'eed track 69 discharges thru the extension ?1 into the connecting track 21 joining the first and second drums 2 and 8 report the guideways 5d and 56 is a bar 76 at.

the center of which is pivoted a channel or transfer track 77 by means or the pivot pin 78, so that the upper end of the transfer track may be swung into register with any one oi the three teed tracks 64, 67 and 69. The transfer track is moved to selected position by means oi a rod 81 pivoted thereto and terminating in a suitable handle 82. The rod- 81 passes thru a fined sleeve 83- and a thumb screw 84: in the sleeve provides means for lining the rod and therefore the transfer track in selected position.

The spacing of the cross-pipes 57 of the conveyor chains is slightly greater than thediameter of the cans, and as cans roll off of the end of the supply track they are caught between the crosspipes and carried upwardly in the transfer track and on to the al ined feed track and then along the feed track to the end thereof, finally being discharged into the first drumor theconneeting track be-- tween the first and second drums, or the con necting track between the second and third drums, as the case may be. From the aboveit will be clear that if the longest possible period of cooking is desired, the transfer track will be alined with the trackway 64 so that the cans arefed into the receiving chute; 18 of the first drum. The cans will then pass thru each of the drums in turn, finally emerging from the cooler. If all of the drums are used, a considerable variationin the time of cooking may be secured by varying the speed of the conveyor reels in the drums. By al ining the transfer track with the feed track 69, the cans will skip the first drumand enter the connecting track between the first and second drums passing into the second drum and thence thru the remaining drums; The cutting out of the first drum effects a change in the cooking time, but by varying the speed oi the conveyor reels in the second and succeeding drums, a wide variation in cooking time for this grouping of drums may be secured. In the same way, only the third drum may be utilized by alining the transfer track with the feed track 67, so that. the cans are discharged into the connecting track between the. second and third drums. When one of the drums is not being used, steam may be shut ofl from it and the driving meansfor the conveyor reel shut down. My cooking apparatus is thus capable of efficient operation, since only those portions in actual use need be kept at cooking temperature and in operation.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for treating packaged goods, a plurality of drums, means connecting adjacent drums for conducting the packages from one drum to the other, a supply track for conducting the packages to the apparatus, a feed track extending from adjacent the supply track to each drum, and means for shunting packages from the supply track to a selected feed track.

2. In an apparatus for treating packaged goods, a plurality of drums, a supply track for conducting the packages to the apparatus, connecting tracks extending respectively from the discharge ends of the first and second drums to the receiving ends of the second and third drums, a plurality of feed tracks discharging respectively into the connecting tracks and the first drum, and means for shunting packages from the supply track to a selected feed track.

3. In an apparatus for treating packaged goods, a plurality of drums, a supply track for conducting the packages to the apparatus, a feed track extending to each drum and having their receiving ends side by side, a transfor track for connecting the supply track to a selected feed track, and means for propelling the packages along the transfer track.

4. In an apparatus for treating packaged goods, a plurality of drums, a supply track for conducting the packages to the apparatus, a feed track extending to each drum and having their receiving ends side by side, a trans fer track for connecting the supply track to a selected feed track, an endless chain arranged on each side of the transfer track, and means to engage the packages on the transfer track carried by the chains.

5. In an apparatus for treating packaged goods, a plurality of drums, a supply track for conducting the packages to the apparatus, a feed track extending to each drum and having their receiving ends side by side, a transfer track for connecting the supply track to a selected feed track, an endless chain arranged on each side of the transfer track, and bars carried by the chains and extending across the transfer track in all of its positions to engage the packages thereon.

6. In an apparatus for treating packaged goods, a plurality of drums, a supply track for conduct-ing the packages to the apparatus, a feed track extending to each drum and having their receiving ends side by side, a trans fer track for connecting the supply track to a selected feed track, an endless chain arranged on each side of the transfer track and extending along a portion of the feed tracks, and means carried by the chains to engage the packages on the transfer track and portions of the feed tracks.

7. In an apparatus for treating packaged goods, a plurality of drums, a supply track for conducting the packages to the apparatus, a feed track extending to each drum and having their receiving ends'side by side, a transfer track for connecting the supply track to a selected feed track, an endless chain arranged on each side of the transfer track and extending along a portion of the feed tracks, the discharge ends of the feed tracks slanting downwardly, and means carried by the chains to engage the packages on the transfer track and portions of the feed tracks.

8. In an apparatus for treating packaged goods, a plurality of drums, a supply track for conducting the packages to the apparatus, connecting tracks extending respectively from the discharge ends of the first and second drums to the receiving ends of the second and third drums, a plurality of feed tracks extending respectively into proximity to the connecting tracks and the receiving end of the first drum, each feed track having downwardly slanting extension discharging respectively into the connecting tracks and the first drum, a transfer track for shunting packages from the supply track to a selected feed track, and unitary means for propelling the packages from the supply track over the transfer and feed tracks.

9. In an apparatus for treating packaged goods, a plurality of drums, a supp'lytrack for conducting the packages to the apparatus, connecting tracks extending respective-- ly from the discharge ends of the first and second drums to the receiving ends of the second and third drums, a plurality of feed tracks extending respectively into proximity to the connecting tracks and the receiving end of the first drum, each feed track having a downwardly slanting extension discharging respectively into the connecting tracks and the first drum, means for shunting packages from the supply track to a selected feed track, and means for propelling the packages over the feed track.

10. In an apparatus for treating packaged goods, a plurality of drums, a supply track for conducting the packages to the apparatus, connecting tracks extending respectively from the discharge ends of the first and second drums to the receiving ends of the second and third drums, a plurality of feed tracks extending respectively into proximity to the connecting tracks and the receiving end of the first drum, each feed track having a downwardly slanting extension discharging respectively into the connecting'tracks and the first drum, a transfer track for shunting packages from the supply track to a selected feed track, and an endless chain arranged on each side of the transfer track and the group of feed tracks, and means carried by the chains to engage the packages on the transfer and feed tracks.

11. In an apparatus for treating packaged goods, a plurality of drums, a supply track for conducting the packages to the apparatus, a feed track extending to each drum,

means for shunting packages from the supply track to a selected feed: track, a conveyor in each drum forcarrying the packages, and means for independently driving eachdrum conveyor means.

12. In an apparatus for treating packaged; goods, a plurality oi drums, a supply track for conducting the packages to the appara tus, connecting tracks extending respectively from the discharge ends of the first and second drums to the receiving ends of the second and third drums, a plurality of feed tracks discharging respectively into the connecting tracks and the first drum, means for shunting packages from the supplytrack to a selected feed track, a conveyor in each drum for carrying the packages, and means for independently driving each drum conveyor means.

13. In an apparatus for treating packaged gcods, a plurality oidrums, means connectingadj acent drums for conducting packages from one drum tothe other, supply means for conducting the packages to the apparatus,a teed track extending from adjacent the supply means to each drum, and means for shunting packages from the supply means to a selected feed track,

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, I

WILLIAM DE BACK. 

